And certain men came down from Judæa and taught the brethren, saying, Except ye be circumcised after the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and questioning with them, the brethren appointed that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
They therefore, being brought on their way by the church, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church and the apostles and the elders, and they rehearsed all things that God had done with them.
But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying, It is needful to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses.
And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider of this matter.
And when there had been much questioning, Peter rose up, and said unto them,
Brethren, ye know that {Greek: from early days.}a good while ago God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the {Or, good tidings}gospel, and believe.
And God, who knoweth the heart, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us;
and he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.
Now therefore why make ye trial of God, that ye should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in like manner as they.
And all the multitude kept silence; and they hearkened unto Barnabas and Paul rehearsing what signs and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles through them.
And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying,
Brethren, hearken unto me:
Symeon hath rehearsed how first God visited the {See marginal note on chapter 5:42.}Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
{Amos 9:11, 12.}After these things I will return,
And I will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen;
And I will build again the ruins thereof,
And I will set it up:
That the residue of men may seek after the Lord,
And all the {See marginal note on chapter 5:42.}Gentiles, upon whom my name is called,
Saith the Lord, {Or, who doeth these things which were known & c.}who maketh these things known from of old.
Wherefore my judgment is, that we trouble not them that from among the Gentiles turn to God;
but that we {Or, enjoin them}write unto them, that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood.
For Moses from generations of old hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath.
Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
and they wrote thus by them, {Or, The apostles and the elder brethren}The apostles and the elders, brethren, unto the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting:
Forasmuch as we have heard that certain {Some ancient authorities omit who went out.}who went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls; to whom we gave no commandment;
it seemed good unto us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves also shall tell you the same things by word of mouth.
For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:
that ye abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which if ye keep yourselves, it shall be well with you. Fare ye well.
So they, when they were dismissed, came down to Antioch; and having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle.
And when they had read it, they rejoiced for the {Or, exhortation}consolation.
And Judas and Silas, being themselves also prophets, {Or, comforted}exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.
And after they had spent some time there, they were dismissed in peace from the brethren unto those that had sent them forth. {Some ancient authorities insert with variations, verse 34 But it seemed good unto Silas to abide there.}
- - -
But Paul and Barnabas tarried in Antioch, teaching and {See marginal note on chapter 5:42.}preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
And after some days Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us return now and visit the brethren in every city wherein we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they fare.
And Barnabas was minded to take with them John also, who was called Mark.
But Paul thought not good to take with them him who withdrew from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
And there arose a sharp contention, so that they parted asunder one from the other, and Barnabas took Mark with him, and sailed away unto Cyprus;
but Paul choose Silas, and went forth, being commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.
And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.
Querverweise zu Apostelgeschichte 15,22 Apg 15,22
and they wrote thus by them, {Or, The apostles and the elder brethren}The apostles and the elders, brethren, unto the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting:
We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves also shall tell you the same things by word of mouth.
And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves also shall tell you the same things by word of mouth.
it seemed good unto us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
Now when the apostles that were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
And Judas and Silas, being themselves also prophets, {Or, comforted}exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.
But we will continue stedfastly in prayer, and in the ministry of the word.
And the report concerning them came to the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas as far as Antioch:
but Paul choose Silas, and went forth, being commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.
And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus a proselyte of Antioch;
But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was {Greek: come out.}gone, they laid hold on Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers,
And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.
But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns unto God, and the prisoners were listening to them;
And the thing was right in the eyes of the king and of all the assembly.
And he called for lights and sprang in, and, trembling for fear, fell down before Paul and Silas,
Also upon Judah came the hand of God to give them one heart, to do the commandment of the king and of the princes by the word of Jehovah.
And some of them were persuaded, and consorted with Paul and Silas, and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Beroea: who when they were come thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
And then immediately the brethren sent forth Paul to go as far as to the sea: and Silas and Timothy abode there still.
But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was constrained by the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.
Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.
Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ;
By Silvanus, {Greek: the.}our faithful brother, as I account him, I have written unto you briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God: stand ye fast therein.